Afternoon At San Gabriel 2016

Curator: Terri Kelly Moyers invites us into a moment of quiet reverie with her 2016 oil painting, "Afternoon At San Gabriel." What's your first take on it? Editor: A certain golden melancholy. It’s this stillness, combined with the muted tones, that gives the painting its contemplative mood, wouldn't you agree? Curator: Absolutely, and I think Moyers captures the light so poetically! See how it dances on the brickwork, the gentle fall of shadows that shapes our subject and setting with almost Renaissance grace. She's really leaning into that plein-air tradition here. Editor: You're right, the handling of light and shadow is masterful! It's particularly noticeable around the draped shawl. We can observe a certain balance in its composition; the solid architectural details offer grounding to the fluid fabrics of the shawl and skirt. Curator: You've zoomed in right away! That shawl is indeed spectacular. All of those lovely flowers woven in, the cascading fringe! They speak to me of travels, of cherished family heirlooms, something from a treasured box that tells a life story in textiles. Editor: The contrast in textures is really key here; the rough brick versus the delicate weave, and from a philosophical perspective, consider how the artist manipulates the medium. How, in its application, the paint simulates these qualities. Curator: It is such a human moment isn't it, frozen for us to unpack and contemplate! She's right there, maybe caught in her own daydreams or noticing, as we do, the light through the vines. Editor: Yes, the way the composition draws the eye, you see how she is situated slightly off-center with the trailing foliage echoing her own pensive inclination of her head. Curator: Thanks for teasing out how deliberately the artist composed all of this! And thank you, Terri Kelly Moyers, for a lovely encounter in "Afternoon at San Gabriel," a painting that lingers with me. Editor: A moment indeed suspended and meticulously considered for us. A valuable illustration of light, materiality, and reflective artistry.